I Swear may have won big at the BAFTAs this year, but the British film that hoped to highlight the daily realities of living with Tourette syndrome has found itself in the middle of a controversy that has caused widespread debate, both on and offline.
The Scottish biographical drama retold the story of campaigner John Davidson MBE, who has lived with severe Tourette syndrome since the 1980s.
Sitting in the audience during the awards show at London's Southbank Centre, the 54-year-old suffered from a vocal tic while black actors Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting a prize on stage.
The moment was broadcast on the BBC and has since sparked backlash and a divisive debate on social media as conversations about tolerance, education and stigma dominate For You Pages.
Explaining the realities of living with the neurological disorder, especially for those who experience involuntary swearing, obscene words or socially inappropriate and derogatory remarks, otherwise known as Coprolalia, black TikTokers weighed in on the incident that involved a racially-charged outburst.
Shayla Amamiya is a black influencer with over one million followers, who shares what it is really like living with Tourette's. She provided context to John's outburst for her followers and called for more education around the condition.
We must understand what Coprolalia is… I am a black person and even I have the N-word tic and slurs as tics. This is something I don't see many talk about because of situations like this.
In a video she posted to her TikTok account, the creator explained: "It's a very sad day for the Tourette syndrome community, especially for the ones that have Coprolalia because when you come online and you see thousands of people hating on your condition, specifically Coprolalia because that's something that is already very embarrassing for us… I'm not going to say that people can't be offended by the fact that somebody said the N-word as a tic, however it's not something that somebody can control, it's not something that somebody wants to say.
"I've been seeing a lot of people be like, 'Well, he said it when the crowd went silent'. That is most likely when a tic is going to happen, when you are in public, complete silence, or when you are trying not to say or do something."
She continued: "We must understand what Coprolalia is… I am a black person and even I have the N-word tic and slurs as tics. This is something I don't see many talk about because of situations like this.
© Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/Getty Im"Is it a disappointing thing that this happened in public, in front of a crowd, specifically to Michael B Jordan and the other presenter? Yes, it is a very unfortunate situation. I have seen so, so many people say that they would invoke violence against people with Coprolalia if they can't control their tics, that's ableism!
"Michael B Jordan and the other presenter have the right to be upset, especially if they were not aware, however, we need to understand and educate ourselves. We need to do better, we need to educate ourselves better. This is not me saying that people don't have the right to be offended, however, you can't be offended when a disabled person is disabled."
Dr Lisa Davies is a Priory Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and Tourette syndrome specialist. She explained the syndrome to HELLO! and said: "The diagnosis of Tourette syndrome is often associated with swearing (coprolalia) or saying socially inappropriate things, e.g. racial or sexual, but this is not a criterion for diagnosis.
"Only 10-30 per cent of people with Tourette's syndrome have these symptoms. Coprolalia is an involuntary, offensive tic. The words are not intentional and do not reflect the individual’s values, beliefs or what they are thinking."
The expert added: "Patients who have coprolalia or say inappropriate things as tics are often misunderstood and judged. This may lead to isolation, distress, anxiety and depression. Some people with these tics may not feel safe at school/employment or in the community."
What has John Davidson said about the BAFTAs incident?
Following the award ceremony on Sunday, which saw Robert Aramayo, who played John in I Swear, win a gong for best actor and rising star, John broke his silence and said he was "deeply mortified".
During an interview with Variety, he outlined his distress as a result of the broadcast and explained the realities of his condition. The campaigner also revealed he contacted the executives of Sinners in order to apologise to actors Michael and Delroy and production designer Hannah Beachler.
The guilt and shame on the part of the person with the condition is often unbearable and causes enormous distress.
John, who was diagnosed with Tourette's when he was 15 years old, said he experienced around ten separate tics over the course of Sunday night's ceremony, before deciding to leave the auditorium and watch the remainder of the evening via a screen elsewhere.
He told the publication: "The guilt and shame on the part of the person with the condition is often unbearable and causes enormous distress. I can't begin to explain how upset and distraught I have been as the impact from Sunday sinks in."
The campaigner also expressed his disappointment at the BBC for not working harder "to prevent anything that [he] said – which, after all, was some 40 rows back from the stage – from being included in the broadcast".
An insider at the ceremony told HELLO!: "Ahead of the broadcast, guests had been warned that John – a Tourette's syndrome campaigner – was in the room and that strong language might be heard."
